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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27493171">you (that's what i've been missing)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/arcane_illusions/pseuds/arcane_illusions'>arcane_illusions</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Beauty and the Beast Elements, F/M, Fluff, Harassment, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, Kissing, Love Confessions, Mild Blood, Near Death Experiences, Romance, beauty and the beast but with my own twists, but it'll be worth it, it gets super angsty so be prepared</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 21:42:53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>12,730</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27493171</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/arcane_illusions/pseuds/arcane_illusions</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Years ago, a sorceress cursed a selfish man. Now James has to live with the fact that he might die if he doesn't fall in love, but then a girl with red hair and green eyes stumbles into his life, changing everything. / Beauty and the Beast!AU with twists.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James Potter &amp; Severus Snape, James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Lily Evans Potter &amp; Severus Snape, Mr Evans &amp; Lily Evans Potter, Peter Pettigrew &amp; Severus Snape</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>you (that's what i've been missing)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/DashFnanz/gifts">DashFnanz</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>DASH!!! Happy (late) birthday, darling, and I hope your mum isn’t in the room because I’m about to make you blush and cry :P</p><p>I know we’ve only started talking recently, but it feels like we’ve been friends forever with all the memories we’ve made. You’re practically my doppelganger, my twin, my sister, and my friend in one package, and I feel so lucky to know you. Thank you so much for the insightful talks, the insanity, the ice cream bribery, everything. I love you and I hope we get to stay friends for a long, long time.</p><p>Happy birthday again. I hope you have a wonderful year :) Love you.</p><p>Shoutout to Ana, thank you so much for cheering me on!</p><p>.O.</p><p>Warning for violence, blood, sexual harassment, kidnapping, and lots of angst, but I promise there’s a happy ending.</p><p>Beauty and the Beast!AU but with my personal spins.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Deep in the west wing of the Potter home, a boy of eighteen gazed at a wilting rose, its petals fluttering slowly to the ground. The petals were a vivid ruby red and seemed to taunt him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>You’re going to be alone forever, boy. You’re going to </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>die </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>alone.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>James Potter pursed his lips and turned his back on the scornful rose. Sitting and moping around wasn’t going to accomplish anything. His soulmate was waiting for him somewhere, and he was </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>going to die </span>
  <em>
    <span>(curses were stupid, blood curses were worse).</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Now, only to find her…well, she existed </span>
  <em>
    <span>somewhere, </span>
  </em>
  <span>but it wasn’t anywhere in this mansion. She was outside the walls, outside in the world, unsuspecting of her fate, and he was dreading and looking forward to meeting her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But finding her was going to be the troublesome part — or perhaps she would come to him, even though he hadn’t had visitors since he’d been a boy.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Lily tucked her book under her arm as she exited the library. The wise Mr. Dumbledore was probably her favorite person in the village beside her father who appreciated the beauty in books. Women were not meant to read and be literate, but Lily didn’t care. She was proud.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She meandered onto the village square and stopped short when she saw the clamoring crowd, surrounding the man she wished to avoid most.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Severus stood in the center of the square, an arrogant smile on his face as he fed the crowd his tales of heroism and valiance. He </span>
  <em>
    <span>was </span>
  </em>
  <span>a hero, but he had returned from the First War a much more egotistical, forward man. He now spent his time drunk and regaling the admiring townspeople with his stories, or — </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Lily!” Severus thrust his way through the gaggle, halting in front of her with that infuriatingly arrogant smirk on his face. “So </span>
  <em>
    <span>lovely </span>
  </em>
  <span>to see you.” His oily hair, slicked back in a ponytail, gleamed in the weak sunshine.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Severus,” Lily said reluctantly. “Lovely to see you as well. I must be on my way, my father —”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The lie fell flat on her tongue as Severus slung an arm around her shoulder. “Come with me,” he said, gazing into her eyes with naked hunger. “I have much to speak with you about.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily could barely keep her grimace at bay as the twittering crowd cleared a path for her and her...</span>
  <em>
    <span>unexpected </span>
  </em>
  <span>companion. There were things she’d rather be doing than wasting her afternoon with Severus, listening to his heavily exaggerated stories, but she could hardly refuse in front of these people.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I suppose,” she said, knowing exactly what he wished to speak to her about. The same thing he’d been wanting for the last three months. His advances were hardly subtle.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She shook off his arm and held her head high — she didn’t need him to walk </span>
  <em>
    <span>anywhere</span>
  </em>
  <span>. She strode forward briskly and Severus hurried after her, flashing a grin at his enamored admirers and in a couple of swift strides, caught up to her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re looking as radiant as ever, dear Lily,” he said, increasing the charm tenfold. “I hope one day that I will be the man who captures your beauty.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily barely suppressed an eye roll. He’d probably used this line on many girls before Lily. After he had set his sights on her, she was the lucky recipient of his grand gestures and clumsy attempts at romance. He fancied himself a clever man, but he had no idea how to woo a woman.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A tip he ought to know: public humiliation was most definitely not the way to go.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Nor were constant advances.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily sped up, irritated when he kept up. “Severus, I’m not —”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“—going to refuse me?” he said, smiling cockily. “I must speak to your father first. And then there’s the matter of children —” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Severus.” They had finally arrived at the gate in front of Lily’s home. The first shoots of petunias and hyacinths were poking out of the dirt; come spring they would bloom and the garden would be a beautiful tapestry of bright colors. But Lily turned her back to them as she spoke to Severus, an edge in her voice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not interested in marrying you,” she said. “I’m sorry if I wound your feelings, but I cannot be forced to marry a man.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Especially you, </span>
  </em>
  <span>she added silently. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Least of all you.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah, Lily, you must consider what I can give you,” he continued blithely (Lily assumed her words had flown over his head). “Don’t refuse me just yet when you hear what I have —”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ve heard about it all,” Lily said, interrupting him intentionally to spare herself from a long-winded speech. “It would be fair to assume that the entire </span>
  <em>
    <span>village </span>
  </em>
  <span>knows what you have. And I’m still not interested.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She meant to turn and open the gate, but Severus’s hand on her shoulder stopped her. She stiffened.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Lily, don’t you know what happens to unmarried women?” he asked, his uncharacteristically solemn voice catching her off guard. “They become spinsters, and when their fathers die, they are left on their own without a husband to support them. They have to beg for poor scraps like poor Marlene.” He gestured to a street corner, where a woman wearing ragged clothing and worn face begged for spare coins. “This is our world, Lily. You cannot live without a moneyed husband. I believe I’m up to the task.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily bristled; he was implying that she was his </span>
  <em>
    <span>responsibility </span>
  </em>
  <span>like he was taking her on willingly. Well, that cemented her final decision.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My answer remains the same, Severus,” she said firmly. “I’m not ready to get married, and when I do, it will be for love, not the number of coins he has.” Severus reeled as she delivered that final blow. Now to escape.  “If you’ll excuse me, I should have returned home long ago, and my father is waiting for me. Good day.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Severus did not stop her this time as she entered the garden and walked the short cobblestone path up to the small, quaint cottage she and her father lived in. They had purchased the cottage after her mother’s death and their subsequent vow to start life anew. It hadn’t been easy, adjusting to life without her mother, but slowly they’d built a resistance to the waves of grief.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She risked a glance over her shoulder and saw Severus walking back into the village. She snorted with laughter as he stepped into a puddle and her laughter doubled as his curses drifted up from the street to her ears. He may have been a hero, but he wasn’t a graceful, eloquent one. He could learn a thing or two from — </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Lily, you’re home!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>— her father. Tall, handsome, and grinning broadly, he was a welcome sight after Severus. His hair was pushed back with a pair of goggles and smudges of grease decorated his face, but Lily didn’t give a damn about his untidiness.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Papa!” She ran to him, setting her book down the table as she went (she’d almost forgotten about it during her encounter with Severus). She stopped just in front of him, her eyes catching on his latest invention. “Papa, what is that?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m glad you asked.”</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>“Do you have to go, Papa?” Lily asked desperately, half-tempted to cling onto his arm onto a child. She didn’t want to leave — he was the only person she had left after her mother had died; she didn’t think she could bear it if her father was lost too.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I must,” Papa said, regret bleeding into his voice. He hated leaving his daughter behind; separation from her was difficult. “You understand that I must display my invention to the world. Everyone will be there.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His regret mixed with his excitement and Lily smiled gently; she loved her father’s spirit. It had fallen for a while, but she was glad to see its resurgence. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course I understand. I am your biggest supporter, even if I cannot be there in person,” she said, laying a hand on his arm.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mr. Evans’s heart swelled; those had been his wife’s words too a long time ago. “Thank you, Lily,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. Those were the last words he could muster before he clambered onto his horse, smiled sadly, and snapped the reins. The horse galloped away towards the far hills and into the unknown.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily watched him leave and then turned back to the cottage. In her father’s absence, she had a lot of work to do.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Elsewhere, another petal drifted to the ground. The end of his time was drawing near, and if he didn’t love soon…</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Lily was dozing when her father’s horse returned, its hooves pounding into the ground with loud </span>
  <em>
    <span>clacks. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Startled, she leaped to her feet, pulled on her father’s old cloak, and dashed outside. She skidded to a halt when she saw the empty saddle, her heart plunging.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where’s Papa?” she asked, but the horse bucked, neighing frantically. That told Lily everything she needed to know. She ran inside, seized an empty satchel, and stuffed it with food and supplies; whatever she could lay her hands on quickly was dropped haphazardly into it. Slinging the bag over her shoulder like a purse, she snatched up a threadbare scarf and a pair of gloves. She tucked a kitchen knife into her boot.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She rushed outside, the satchel smacking her repeatedly on the thigh as she moved, her feet crunching the snow. Snowdrops stung her cheeks, but she ignored them. She pulled herself onto the horse and without waiting, the horse took off. Lily hung on for dear life.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m coming, Papa,” she whispered.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>“I must say, this stew is marvelous,” Mr. Evans said, spooning some into his mouth. “You said you made this yourself?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“...I did,” the young man said, the light of the chandelier bouncing off his glasses, so his eyes were unreadable. “Made it myself from scratch.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You cook like my wife,” Mr. Evans remarked. “Hell, you could rival even my daughter.”</span>
  <span><br/>
<br/>
</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man smiled mysteriously. “I’d love to meet them both,” he murmured, almost sadly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The lights seemed to flicker as both men sobered. “You can meet my daughter, yes, but my wife —she’s dead.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” the man said awkwardly. His fingers tightened around his spoon. “I didn’t mean to —”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t.” Mr. Evans cut him off. “You didn’t know.” He ate another bite of stew. “It’s nice to know that you cook like her — now I have a reason to visit more often.” His eyes glimmered with mirth.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That would be nice,” the young man admitted. “I’ve lived alone for too long.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>For the first time, the man appeared to show emotion, deviating from his mysterious nature. Mr. Evans studied him intently, his brows furrowed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Say, I never got your name.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Does it matter?” was his reply, detached and hopeless, but whatever retort Mr. Evans was going to say was interrupted by the sound of hooves thundering outside.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What in the name of —” Mr. Evans’s spoon fell on the table with a clatter and he jumped to his feet. “Who is that?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I wasn’t expecting anyone, not in this storm,” the man said calmly, but he too looked rattled. “I’ll go check it out.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He walked over to the large window and pulled the heavy drapes to the side.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>James had not been expecting to see a woman. He could barely see her through the frost-stained window, but he knew it was a woman from her figure. He couldn’t pick out individual features, however.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She had brought a horse with her — he could tell by the larger figure next to her, which wasn’t shaped like a human. It looked an awful lot like the horse that had belonged to the man sitting at his dinner, eating his stew…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But that horse had probably fled into the forest, where there were bloodthirsty wolves. It wouldn’t have made it out alive, right?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Well, he was about to find out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m going to open the door,” he announced rather unnecessarily; the man merely nodded his head, his hand clenching his spoon.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At one point in his life, James would have flung the door open with gusto; he’d loved the drama of it. But lately, he hadn’t felt so bold, so this time he grasped the handles and tugged. The doors swung open with a creak.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Lily’s fist had been raised to knock when the doors opened, leaving her hand dangling midair. The doors had seemed brittle yet strong, which could be a representation of the entire mansion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She and her horse had avoided the wolves inhabiting the forest — the snowstorm must’ve driven them into their shelters — but now the mansion looming before her seemed more intimidating. Vines snaked up the walls, making it seem like a prison. The house was so dilapidated and gloomy, so Lily assumed that an older man lived here.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She was not prepared to be confronted by the sight of someone who was certainly </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>old. When the doors opened, her breath hitched.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A young man around her age stood in the doorway and the first thing Lily noticed was that he was attractive. He wore an expression of astonishment on his pretty features. She couldn’t make out the color of his eyes because of his glasses, but she guessed it was a gorgeous color. Judging from his skin tone, he would have hazel or brown eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But she was jarred from her thoughts by a familiar voice calling, “Who’s at the door?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“...</span>
  <em>
    <span>Papa?</span>
  </em>
  <span>” she asked, disbelief coloring her voice. He sounded all right, he was </span>
  <em>
    <span>alive, </span>
  </em>
  <span>and her knees nearly went weak with relief.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The man moved slightly to the left and she saw the surprise on his face. “‘Papa?’” he echoed. “So you’re his—”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily unabashedly barged past him and ran to her father. “You’re okay!” Her father caught her with an </span>
  <em>
    <span>oomph!</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I — I thought when I saw the h-horse —”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh yes, the horse,” said Papa into her hair. “Maurice had a fright when </span>
  <em>
    <span>he </span>
  </em>
  <span>appeared out of the snow, and I don’t blame him. He did look pretty intimidating at first, but he took me into his home to wait out the snowstorm and gave me something to eat.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily, who had forgotten the stranger’s presence, let go of her father and spun around. The stranger who had saved her father. Gratitude came over and she dipped into a curtsy. “I am in your debt,” she said meaningfully, peering at the stranger through her eyelashes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The stranger’s lips curled up into a warm smile. “You can pay your debt by waiting here until the snow has melted and you can trek home. I would hate to turn you out to the mercy of the snow and cold.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily pursed her lips; she really wanted to return home, but what the stranger said made sense — it would be dangerous to travel through the cold snow, and her horse was already exhausted from battling through the snow once. Her father seemed happy here, too. She supposed staying here for a little longer wouldn’t be a bad thing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, that would be appreciated,” she replied, smiling.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>The first snowstorm had come and gone, but the second one was fiercer and dumped more snow. The winds howled, and Lily was restless. She couldn’t sleep. The stranger had been kind enough to give her and her father separate bedrooms in the east wing, but the storm was relentlessly pummeling the windows.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Finally, she got out of bed. Laying around in darkness wasn’t going to achieve much, so perhaps she would fetch something from the kitchen. Her mother had always made her tea when she couldn’t sleep, and hot tea right now sounded marvelous.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The only problem was that there was no kitchen in the east wing of the mansion. To get tea, she would have to go to the west wing, which was off-limits because the owner of the mansion resided there. Lily didn’t want to stretch the limits of his gracious hospitality, but now — great. Her stomach was rumbling. Now she </span>
  <em>
    <span>definitely </span>
  </em>
  <span>wouldn’t be able to sleep.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Now she didn’t have a choice unless she wanted a sleepless night of tossing and turning and worrying with an empty stomach.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Just in and out,” she muttered; she would just dart in, make some tea, and get out before she was noticed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Except, when she entered the west wing, she found herself confronted by a maze of hallways and rooms, with no idea how to get to the kitchen.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Not daring to breathe, she tiptoed down the main hall, pressing her ear to each door and peeking through the gaps to see one of them was the kitchen. One door, two doors, four doors, but no luck. Just how big was this mansion?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She saw a pair of double doors that were slightly ajar at the end of the main hall, with a faint white light streaming through the crack. That didn’t seem like the kitchen, but Lily pressed her ear to the door and heard nothing, not even breathing. She dared to peek her head through the gap and stifled a gasp.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Through the double doors was an enclosed balcony with stained glass windows, all except for one, which was plain glass. Sometime during her excursion, the snow had stopped. The moonlight was streaming through the plain window, illuminating the figure standing a few feet away from Lily.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know you’re there,” said the stranger, sounding amused. “You can come in if you’d like.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Only if I’m not intruding.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course not,” the stranger said. “I would never turn away someone as lovely as you are.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily rolled her eyes. “Do you always use these cheesy lines on girls who visit your mansion?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Just the pretty ones.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She’d walked into that one.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The man turned, and Lily was struck by his luminescent eyes. They were gold, pensive, and unlike anything she’d ever seen before. He blinked and the gold color was interspersed with green.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hazel. He had hazel eyes. Lily sucked in a breath. “You have pretty eyes,” she whispered.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So are yours.” They were standing just mere centimeters apart, and Lily could just reach a little higher, and her — </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>No! </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily jerked back as if she’d been stung and the man did too, clearing his throat awkwardly. “I didn’t mean — it was just —”  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No harm was done,” Lily said, certain that her face was scarlet. Her cheeks burned as if the sun had kissed it. She cast around wildly for a new subject and her eyes landed on a pedestal, where a single red rose lay. The rose was undoubtedly beautiful and yet…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There are so few petals left,” she said. “How is not brown and wilted?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Care,” the man replied simply. “I tend to all of my flowers with great care.” He was gazing not at the rose, but her when he spoke those words. Lily blushed; she didn’t even know this man’s name and yet she had almost kissed him as she’d known him all her life.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Where had her senses gone?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t say that,” she murmured. “Even the most resilient of flowers can wither.” The man stiffened. But his next words were laced with sadness.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I agree.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily felt his warmth at her back and turned to face him, tilting her head up — not to kiss but to receive answers. “I don’t think </span>
  <em>
    <span>care </span>
  </em>
  <span>is the answer. The flower is not in a vase of water, nor have you planted in a pot of soil. I believe it’s something else.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re right,” the man admitted. “But I’m afraid it is beyond your knowledge.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Try me,” she challenged him. “I have read anything and everything you could dream of. I have read of romance, magic, science, history, anything you can think of. I have crossed oceans, traversed planets, and delved into the deepest parts of history. There is </span>
  <em>
    <span>nothing </span>
  </em>
  <span>beyond my knowledge. I believe in </span>
  <em>
    <span>everything.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Magic and science are easily confused,” he said. “Some believe in science as an explanation of everything. Few believe in magic, and they are made a mockery of. Tell me, what do you believe?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Both,” Lily said fearlessly, and she believed it. She believed both. “Magic is not so far-fetched, perhaps it hasn’t been discovered yet. </span>
  <em>
    
  </em>
  <span>Science and magic can coexist. They can </span>
  <em>
    <span>benefit </span>
  </em>
  <span>each other.” She glared at him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The man’s eyes roved over her face, a smile emerging on his face. “I think I like you. You’re bold, clever, well-read, and you’re not afraid to stand up for your opinions. You’re fiercely devoted to those you care about, like your father and you love wholly and unconditionally. What is your name?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>No one had ever complimented her like this; they viewed her opinions as an entertainment source and wrote them off as flaws. No one had ever cracked her exterior, but this man had pinned her down quickly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily felt a mirroring smile form on her lips. It was because he was the first one to truly like her, go beyond appearances, that she willingly gave him her name.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My name is Lily,” she said, enjoying the shock on his face when he realized how close to home his earlier flower comment had reached. “Lily Evans. I’m afraid I don’t know your name, so I think it’s a fair exchange if you give me it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I like the way you play, Lily Evans,” he said, and her name had never sounded this good.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My name is James.” He didn’t state his surname as she had, so she wondered if he was hiding something.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>James was an enigmatic, secretive man, and she was determined to crack him open before she departed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He conveniently didn’t explain the rose either. Lily was left to theorize.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>The atmosphere had noticeably shifted the next morning — when Lily came down the stairs, yawning, James was already there and he was smiling at her. Something like butterflies erupted in her stomach and a lucid memory flashed through her mind — of being so close, of his astute examination of her, and the bond that had irrevocably materialized.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily’s father was oblivious to his daughter and another man stealing secret glances at each other, then looking away with red cheeks.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily sat next to her father and helped herself to the mouthwatering breakfast that James had generously prepared for them. He was the last to sit and reached for the teapot at the same time as Lily. Their hands brushed and both parties ducked their heads. Lily, her face aflame, grabbed the teapot and James redirected his hand to the pile of scones.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mr. Evans was still blissfully unaware, marveling over James’s cooking skills. “How the hell did you make these so crispy?” He held up a scone, the raspberry filling dripping from the side. “And did you make these from scratch?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I made these yesterday,” James said, shrugging. “Yes, I made them from scratch — I do have a lot of time on my hands and an entire kitchen to myself, so I taught myself. The servants left me alone for the most part — especially while I was in my experimenting phase,” he said with a laugh.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily frowned as two particular things caught her attention. She chose to bring up the second because the first would make the atmosphere uncomfortable and she remembered how closed off he was. Some things were meant to be private.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You have servants?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, yes,” he admitted. “Very few, though, and they don’t have many duties. They mostly stay out of sight.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“...Out of sight.” That explained why she had not seen a single servant since her arrival.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I do most of the cooking and cleaning myself,” he continued. “I am sensitive to cold weather, however, so the servants do the outside work.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily and Mr. Evans exchanged a look, both of them wondering the same thing, but both too afraid to broach the subject. </span>
  <em>
    <span>What had happened to his parents?</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They did not want to offend him or misstep in any way, so neither of them spoke their thoughts aloud. They did, however, watch him carefully; Lily was practiced at reading faces, but this one was blank and refused to be read. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily pitied him. While she had a family, no matter how broken it was, James had nothing except for a mansion of secrets and servants, which was luxurious but lonely.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>James </span>
  </em>
  <span>was lonely.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>The snow gradually melted, though beads of it clung to the shadowy corners the sun didn’t touch. It was still cold though, and Lily’s teeth chattered. But James generously provided an extra cloak and it kept her warm. He’d given Lily’s father a pair of woolen gloves and a burgundy scarf.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It was my father’s,” he’d revealed, but said nothing else. “Have a safe journey.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you for your hospitality,” Lily said gratefully. “My father would’ve been devoured by wolves or frozen to death. I am eternally in your debt.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Consider it repaid, but only if you come to visit me again.” He smiled, his nose pink and his lips pressed together, and Lily sensed the desperation behind the plea.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Truth be told, she’d enjoyed his company these last few days — she and her father had exchanged recipes with James and they’d had a wonderful, sunlit afternoon experimenting with the various foods in the pantry. They’d spent the nights laughing away at the ridiculous poses Lily’s father tried to make and the guesses of what he’d been mimicking stole Lily’s breath — she’d never laughed so hard or so much in her entire life.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But the best hours were spent sequestered in James’s library, meandering around through the labyrinth of bookshelves, and perusing the secrets hidden in the books. World after world unraveled before her eyes as she resolved to read as many books as she could before she had to leave.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was here that Lily spent her free time, and it was James who joined her. He was the taller of the two of him, so he reached for the books on the higher shelves. His hip would brush against her side and their fingers would touch when he handed her the book. Lily would blush, her face aflame, and try not to think about their almost kiss.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She was attracted to him, that was certain. He was handsome, of course, but he was also kind and a little bit shy, though he grew more comfortable around her with time. Their touches had become more intimate, like a brush of lips against the forehead or hands grazing against each other. Every touch never ceased to drive Lily mad.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t want to go. Not when something was budding between them. Not when something was blooming. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily wanted to be the sunlight, the one who would melt the snowdrops clinging to the most shadowy corners of his heart. He was alone, so </span>
  <em>
    <span>alone, </span>
  </em>
  <span>and it pained her to leave him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll come back,” she said with a sudden rush of resolve. “I </span>
  <em>
    <span>will </span>
  </em>
  <span>come back. I will never break this promise to you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A beautiful smile blossomed on his face and his hand shot forward, as if he wanted to touch her, but he hesitated and his hand stopped midway between them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily gazed at his hand thoughtfully and after a moment, knocked it aside and fell into his arms. Her head rested on his shoulder and her arms entwined themselves around his waist. A pleasant warmth ignited in her stomach and spread to her toes, encompassing her entire body. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>No one had ever made her feel like this and she was perfectly content to remain here, safely ensconced in his embrace, protected from the world.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>James made her feel like no other man did, but…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>…Lily felt her father’s eyes upon her and sheepishly stepped out of James’s arms, thankful for the bitterly cold wind stinging her fiery skin. “Thank you,” she rasped, smiling briefly before she turned to her horse, Winston, who James had lent her because the Evans’ unnamed horse was still weak and could not support the weight of two people. Winston was a beauty and Lily had fallen in love with him at first sight (the feeling was mutual).</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>James murmured goodbye as she mounted her horse. She knew in her heart that it wasn’t goodbye forever; she would return as soon as she was able — but the urge to not go in the first place was overwhelming; she almost jumped off of Winston.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Goodbye, James,” she said and dug in her heels into Winston’s sides. The horse followed her father at a steady clip and she didn’t look back.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>In hindsight, he shouldn’t have let her go. She was his best chance at breaking the curse; he’d felt something growing between them. She was gorgeous and burned with the fire of a thousand suns. She was...she was…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But as much as he wanted her to stay with him, she was a free spirit and he couldn’t — wouldn’t — force her to do anything. He admired her for it — he’d spent years in solitude, trapped by the curse and afraid to venture out on his own, because he knew he couldn’t bear the agony of forming a relationship and having to sever it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That was what kept him rooted to the spot as a part of his heart rode away into the woods. Her brilliant green eyes were scorched into his mind, her words returning to him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I’ll come back.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Much to her irritation, Severus was waiting for them when they arrived at the village, keeping himself occupied by holding court in front of their cottage. The girls around him tittered and gawked with rapt eagerness and Lily caught the words “ferocious beast” and “tail between his legs”. Wrinkling her nose, she tried to dismount her horse as noiselessly as she could, but one of the ninnies with Severus shrieked, </span>
  <em>
    <span>“She’s returned!”</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>All heads swung in her direction and Severus’s face broke into a buoyant smile. “Lily!” he cried and Lily braced herself as he strode in her direction.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But she’d forgotten about someone else.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily felt someone step into place by her side, saw Severus visibly falter mid-stride, and smirked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Severus Snape, is it?” Lily’s father asked, his voice friendly but with a definitive edge.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes sir.” For the first time in his life, Severus Snape looked a little unsettled. It appeared he was intimidated by her father — while he had streaks of gray in his hair and his days of sword fighting were long behind him, he still could disarm anyone by spearing them with a single glance, even cowing the foolhardy.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But the only reason he had not publicly rejected Severus as a suitor was because of the captive spell Severus had cast upon the village — he was adored by most and thus, held a sufficient amount of power that could drive Lily and her father from the village. So Lily bore his flirtations, but she did it unwillingly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Interesting,” was Lily’s father’s only remark, and he put an arm protectively around her shoulders and steered her towards the other path, which was not blocked by a group of starry-eyed girls.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Severus did not say a word.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Before the week was out, Lily rode out of the village again, but this time during daylight — the wolves would not venture out during the day and she would return home at this time tomorrow. That way she could avoid the wolves during both journeys; she’d been lucky the first time the snow had forced the vicious wolves into hiding. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She would avoid traveling at night because that was when the wolves came out to hunt. Humans were their first choice of prey.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tying her horse inside the gate, she walked the path up to the house and rapped her knuckles on the door. There was the sound of glass shattering and Lily suppressed a smile; clearly, he’d not been expecting guests.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The door burst open and James, looking harried, stood in front of her. His face was red with exertion and his hair was in an even worse state than when she’d last seen him; it was in disarray and looked like he’d just stepped out of a twister.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Lily!” Much to her amusement, she noticed he had a smear of flour on his cheek. “I wasn’t expecting you!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I hope I’m not interrupting something important.” Lily’s mirth bled into her voice and James huffed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I was making an apple pie,” he said, turning away, “but now I think I’ll eat it all myself.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily gasped dramatically. “How could you?” She barged past him and was treated with the delectable scent of pie sitting in the next room. “I’m having a slice whether you like or not!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Laughing, James shut the door behind her as Lily divested herself of her cloak, hung it on the rack, and charged into the next room.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Save some for me!” he called.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Lily spent a marvelous evening laughing away her worries; she enjoyed bantering with James — he was clever but hid it behind his ridiculous jokes. At night they played chess and Lily beat him several times in a row and rubbed it in the face of a dejected James — but unlike the other men in the village, he wasn’t jealous that a woman had beat him. He was more distraught of the fact that he hadn’t seen her checkmates coming until it was too late.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Still riding the exhilaration from the evening, she couldn’t sleep, so once again she ventured out for a stroll. A sense of deja vu washed over her but she pushed it aside. She wasn’t planning on doing anything disobedient — she and James were on amicable terms and she already knew about the rose, his most closely guarded secret… </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>…but she still didn’t have answers about it. She hadn’t brought up the subject, not wanting to dent the perfect evening, but it still lingered in her mind. Why was he so tight-lipped? They were growing closer, weren’t they? Perhaps they weren’t at the point of trust yet.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily trusted him, but she wasn’t sure if he trusted her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Too many questions. Not enough answers.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her feet turned her onto the path that led her to the rose room. The door was cracked open again, but this time Lily didn’t try to be quiet. She opened the door.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re back,” James said, his back to her. “You want to know about the rose.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I want answers.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>James didn’t speak, but he did face her. The moonlight was behind him so she could see his eyes. Gold and green were battling for control in his irises tonight. He looked so much more than the goofy jester he’d been just mere hours ago, serious and thoughtful. It was almost alarming.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Can I trust you?” he asked. Lily swallowed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” she said, her heartbeat increasing with anticipation. “You can.” Their lips were so close, just a hair breadth’s apart and she felt compelled to  — if she rose on her tiptoes, she could close the gap and — </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And then what? What would happen next? Would he pull away? Would he kneel and profess his undying love for her?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This wasn’t a romance novel. This wasn’t a fairytale. This was real life, where she had to consider the benefits and costs of a decision, and this one had more costs. Not all stories ended with happily ever after and she had to remember that. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily stepped back, lowering her eyes, but the air remained charged. “I won’t betray your trust,” she said, trying to diffuse the tension. “Whatever information you give me will remain behind sealed lips.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>James let out a slow breath. “Thank you.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The following silence was deafening, battering Lily’s ears until she couldn’t withstand it anymore. “Why do you have a rose? Does it represent something?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>James seemed to have an internal war of thoughts before he said, “It’s a curse.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s a — what? A </span>
  <em>
    <span>curse?</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Lily reeled, taking a step back. How was — </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Let me explain,” James pleaded and it was the vulnerability in his voice that halted Lily in her tracks. “It’s a family curse, passed down through the generations. My great-great-grandfather was an arrogant, selfish man and he valued materialism over everything. He scoffed at the poor and groveled at the feet of those richer than him. He didn’t perform acts of generosity, and when he did, it was out of self-interest. He wouldn’t do it if there was nothing to gain for himself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“One night, he held a ball and invited all of the nobility. He draped himself in his finest silks and played the gracious host. During the ball, an old woman knocked on his door and asked him for something to eat. There was plenty of food but looking at the old woman, he saw nothing to gain, so he turned her away. The old woman revealed herself to be an immortal, beautiful sorceress in disguise. She plucked one of the roses from his garden and tied it to his life force — if he didn’t learn to love anyone other than himself before all of the rose petals fell, then he would die. He fell on his knees and begged for forgiveness, but it was too late.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“After seeing this, the nobility deserted him — they didn’t want to be associated with someone like him. But years later, a young girl stumbled upon his mansion and taught him how to love, thus breaking the curse. He thought he had beat the curse, but little did he know — the sorceress had cursed his entire lineage, including any children he had. Every child from then on was born with the curse — every time a child was born, a rose from the garden would appear here, tying itself to that child’s life.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily frowned. “So what I understand is that because of your predecessor’s mistake, your entire family is punished?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s what the sorceress intended to do,” James said. “She wanted to make him suffer for eternity, even after his death. I don’t understand why, but there is nothing I can do. The curse was passed down to me after I was born, and unless I find someone to love, I will die.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily clapped a hand over her mouth as the terrifying thought invaded her mind, filling it with pictures of James, lifeless, even bloody — </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tears sprung in her eyes. “That’s cruel,” she said, her voice shaking.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There’s another catch because the sorceress wanted to cover all of her bases,” James said wryly. “The curse won’t be broken if I fall in love with someone — they have to love me back, fully and unconditionally. Only then will I break the curse.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily glanced at the rose, her stomach rolling uneasily. There were two petals on the rose — how much time did he have left?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’d wager I have about two or three weeks, maybe a little more,” James answered, sounding solemn. “I suppose it’s a lost cause because I can’t fall in love with someone in such a short time.” He wasn’t looking at her anymore. At some point during the story, he’d turned towards the rose, perhaps to hide his resignation. He thought he was doomed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily took his hand with hers and interlaced their fingers, squeezing comfortingly as she fought back tears. James, dead — they’d known each other for less than a week and she already felt like the world was crashing around her ears. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She’d </span>
  <em>
    <span>never </span>
  </em>
  <span>felt this way around someone. She’d never touched a boy like this, never even thought of opening her heart after her mother died, because she’d thought that all relationships ended up like the one between her parents.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But James was different. Different because he’d cracked the shield around her heart with his kindness, his awful sense of humor, and his respect for her self-worth and her boundaries. He didn’t need a group of brainwashed girls mooning over him — he didn’t need that validation or attention. He knew who he was and didn’t need anyone to prove it to him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And somehow, she’d broken through his shields and gotten him to trust her. She could share his agony, but she would never know how it felt to have a deadline on her life.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, James,” she murmured, “I wish the circumstances were different.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>James’s hand tightened around her own. “What do you mean?”</span>
  <span><br/>
<br/>
</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wish I wasn’t so guarded,” she confessed. “If only I could let people into my heart easily, I would have saved you from this curse by now. Since my mother died, I haven’t been able to love. No one understands that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span> understand.” He released her hand and whirled around so she could see his eyes blazing fiercely. “That’s what I lo-like about you. That you don’t love someone just because they give you pretty flowers and extravagant gifts. You want them to fight for you, to get to know you. You want them to love you because you’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>you, </span>
  </em>
  <span>not because you’re pretty.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily was stunned; her jaw almost fell open. But she heard the unmistakable sound of a gate creaking open — a rusty old gate that hadn’t been opened in years. She heard it creak, she saw James’s face, and with every passing second, it opened further.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“James, I —” No one had said that before — no one had bothered to probe that deep in her entire life, but here was James, smashing her exterior and healing her innermost fears within a week of knowing her. </span>
  <em>
    <span>No one </span>
  </em>
  <span>understood her as he did.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>All she was able to muster was “Thank you,” and rested her head on his chest. His arms looped around her waist hesitantly, and when she didn’t protest, he held her tighter.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily was struck by how </span>
  <em>
    <span>safe </span>
  </em>
  <span>she felt in his arms, like the rest of the world couldn’t hurt her while she was in James’s arms. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This man...this man was special, she knew it in her heart. Even if she was incapable of loving him, he would always mean something more than just a friend. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The problem was that she didn’t realize how far she’d ventured past the friendship boundary.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>The village people were starting to notice how absent Lily was — and even stranger, her father didn’t seem to mind. He seemed </span>
  <em>
    <span>happier. </span>
  </em>
  <span>When he was asked where his daughter was or where she was spending all of her time, he would smile mysteriously and claim his daughter was “finding her path”. It didn’t take a genius to work out the double meaning.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She was meeting another man.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The news didn’t take long to reach Severus and unsurprisingly he was indignant. How </span>
  <em>
    <span>dare </span>
  </em>
  <span>Lily dally with other men while he was </span>
  <em>
    <span>right here </span>
  </em>
  <span>with open arms, waiting for her? He’d treated her as any affluent suitor would, showering her with romantic gestures, but he might as well have been a fly for all the attention she gave him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Severus was allegedly sighted in a tavern, </span>
  <em>
    <span>sulking </span>
  </em>
  <span>like a petulant child — but his adoring followers interpreted this as a man nursing his broken heart.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What an ungrateful wench,” said one girl with an upturned nose and watery blue eyes. “She doesn’t deserve him. Poor Severus, he was only trying to court her, but his efforts are wasted on that girl — her nose is buried in a book, so much so that she can’t see what she’s losing.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Severus ignored these speculations and stared moodily into his mug of mead, mulling over this mysterious man who’d caught Lily’s eye. Who was he? Was he wealthy? Was he attractive?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he almost didn’t hear the hush descend over the crowd, but he </span>
  <em>
    <span>did </span>
  </em>
  <span>hear the door slam into the wall after someone threw it open. A cold blast of air preceded the newcomer’s arrival, but that hardly mattered.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Severus? Severus Snape?” It was Peter Pettigrew, the town rat; he’d earned that distinction through his rat-like behavior —  slinking around, blending in with the shadows, generally performing detective duties was his specialty. Severus had hired him for a very specific reason.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You found her.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pettigrew nodded vehemently. “I did. You won’t believe who she’s meeting with.”</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>The sun peeked over the treetops as Lily’s horse galloped through the woods. It could’ve been her eyes playing tricks on her, but she thought she saw gleaming red eyes tracking her movements. Blood red eyes of </span>
  <em>
    <span>wolves. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They weren’t supposed to be out; they loathed daylight, which kept them at bay. But that didn’t mean they couldn’t watch her, just waiting for the moment when she traveled too close to one of their caves. They’d be fed for days.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Granted, with the knife in her boot, it wouldn’t be easy for them, but she didn’t want to get into that situation in the first place.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily breathed a sigh of relief as the last of the trees fell behind and she crested the hill, where she was able to view her village.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She let Winston walk the rest of the way, relishing the breeze streaming through her hair. The delightful aromas of bread and wildflowers. She was looking forward to seeing her father again. She’d just visited James again, stayed the night, and set out after noon. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Soon, the grass turned into a cobblestone path and the open scenery turned into a bustling village. More notable were the suspicious glares she received, but she supposed there was a new rumor circulating about her whereabouts. Nothing new.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Papa!” As Winston approached her home, she saw her father pruning the roses in the garden. And standing next to him — Lily’s heart sank — was Severus Snape. His gaggle of admirers was unusually absent today.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Fantastic. Lily bit back an acidic greeting and dismounted, not looking at that loathsome man. “I’ve returned from my journey, Papa.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m glad to see you’re safe,” her father said, but his voice sounded uncharacteristically curt. Perhaps it was because of the man grinning wolfishly at Lily like he was the cat who’d caught the canary. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good afternoon, Severus,” she said acridly. “I must speak with my father, so if you could kindly leave —”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not so fast, Lily,” he said, still grinning. “I too have some business to speak to your father about...well, to both of you about.” His eyes glinted and Lily’s stomach erupted with butterflies — not the pleasant kind, ones with sharp talons.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t intend to speak with you,” she said dismissively, glancing at her father for support, but she received none. Her father’s face was terse and his lips were pressed together.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>What was going on?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, but I think you’ll be very interested in what I have to say.” Snape leaned against the gate. “And I’m willing to make you a deal.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not interested.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hear him out, Lily,” Lily’s father said wearily. “It’s for your safety.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily gaped at her father, taken aback by his sudden obedience to Snape. Her eyes narrowed as her mind worked; there was something else going on here. Something with stakes involved, and possibly leverage, because why else would her father ask her to listen to Snape?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“...Fine,” she said. “I’ll listen. You have two minutes of my time.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll make it worth your while,” Snape smirked. “I know where you’ve been going these past few days. I’d wager it’s been going on for </span>
  <em>
    <span>weeks.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Get to the point.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Must you always be in a hurry?” Snape asked, raising his eyebrows, but when Lily crossed her arms and gave him a pointed glare, he relented.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You have another horse,” he said matter-of-factly. “You’re absent for a large part of the week, and you have been spotted riding towards the woods. Your father is very tight-lipped about your whereabouts. I think you’ve been hiding something.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s hardly any of your business,” she retorted, but an icy chill trickled down into her stomach. She clenched her fists and tried to control her heartbeat.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Why was she so nervous? So what if she was meeting someone?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, it </span>
  <em>
    <span>is </span>
  </em>
  <span>my business, more than you know,” he said. “You see, I know you’re going to the Potter estate and my family has a...</span>
  <em>
    <span>history </span>
  </em>
  <span>with that family.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“A history?” Lily couldn’t resist asking and Snape’s smile broadened.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m glad you asked.”</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>“So let me get this correct,” Lily said, clasping her hands together in her lap and staring at Snape thoughtfully across the table. “Your family was in attendance at that ball.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My ancestors,” Snape corrected. Lily just barely managed to restrain her eyes from rolling into the back of her head. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They were present at the ball,” she continued. “They witnessed what happened.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Indeed. They saw Potter undergo that hideous curse.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well,” Lily said, leaning back in her chair and fixing Snape with a scathing look. “Your family is a whole line of </span>
  <em>
    <span>cowards.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her words had the intended effect. Snape had been expecting something acerbic, something that would sully her opinion of the Potters — but all Lily felt was </span>
  <em>
    <span>contempt. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How dare — if </span>
  <em>
    <span>anyone’s </span>
  </em>
  <span>the coward, it’s Potter,” he said angrily. “Hiding from the public eye —”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You want to talk about </span>
  <em>
    <span>hiding, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Snape? What about </span>
  <em>
    <span>your family, </span>
  </em>
  <span>fleeing from the Potters when they needed aid? That is </span>
  <em>
    <span>selfish </span>
  </em>
  <span>and </span>
  <em>
    <span>cowardly. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Out of self-interest and jealousy, you let them suffer for years.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Selfish?</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Snape jumped to his feet, towering over her with an impressive glower, but Lily refused to be cowed. Perhaps this was the opening she needed to sever ties with him. “Don’t you dare turn this around on me. Did you forget the basis of the curse? The Potters have always have been selfish —”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They </span>
  <em>
    <span>were,</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Lily interjected, also standing up. “You’re judging James based on an old grudge — a </span>
  <em>
    <span>senseless </span>
  </em>
  <span>grudge if you ask me. This happened </span>
  <em>
    <span>years </span>
  </em>
  <span>ago, Snape. The Potters aren’t selfish and arrogant anymore — they’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>kind </span>
  </em>
  <span>and deserve a second chance.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You speak of giving second chances, but you do not grant one to me,” Snape said pointedly. “That’s a bit like the sword calling the dagger sharp, don’t you think?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I amend my words,” Lily said and Snape puffed out his chest triumphantly. But she wasn’t finished. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Some </span>
  </em>
  <span>people deserve second chances, but I’m afraid you’ve already wasted yours. I will </span>
  <em>
    <span>never </span>
  </em>
  <span>let you have another chance.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snape looked stung and Lily could hear his ego being knocked down a couple of pegs. Good for him. “You — you’ll regret those words, Lily Evans,” he said, his voice wavering. “You had your chance to marry me — I could’ve provided you a life of luxury and romance beyond your wildest dreams, but you still turn me away. You’re a  — a —”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“A what, Severus Snape?” A new voice entered the conversation and Snape’s skin paled. “What were you about to call my daughter, Mr. Snape?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mr. Evans stood in the doorway, imposing and intimidating, and Snape faltered. Lily grinned. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It seems you’ve overstayed your welcome,” Mr. Evans said calmly but the edge in his voice allowed no room for argument. “If you kindly leave the premises and never harass my daughter again, that would be appreciated.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snape made no such promise; he shot Lily a nasty look, and she returned it with interest. Sensing that he’d lost the argument, he strode to the door. Lily’s father moved aside and they both watched him stalk to the village down below, no doubt to find a tavern to drink like any sulky man in the village.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think you gave him a good lashing, Lily,” her father said, his voice now edged with pride. “He won’t forget that for some time.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know he won’t,” said Lily, but she wasn’t completely assured that she’d seen the last of Severus Snape. That nasty glare he’d given her before he’d left...it didn’t sit well with Lily. She recognized a hateful, bruised antagonist when she saw one. Snape held grudges with an iron fist and she was sure he wouldn’t forget this one…</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>He was </span>
  <em>
    <span>never </span>
  </em>
  <span>going to forget this insult. He’d lucky she hadn’t confronted him in the square; at least his dignity had been spared — but his pride had not. Lily had shredded it into pieces and he was </span>
  <em>
    <span>seething.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She was so...so </span>
  <em>
    <span>infuriating. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Most women would jump at the chance to be with him; he was wealthy and a well-liked hero — but Lily Evans had rebuffed him, and she would regret that for the rest of life, he’d make sure of it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She would rue that day she’d turned down Severus Tobias Snape.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Leaky Cauldron was teeming with patrons, so many that he almost didn’t notice the man who’d sat down on the stool next to him and ordered a beer. The man had a pudgy, rat-like face, and it was when he spoke that Severus recognized him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You look like hell,” Peter remarked frankly. “Let me guess, you tried to approach Lily Evans and she rejected you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was right, but Severus wasn’t going to tell him that. “Why are you here, Pettigrew? Couldn’t find a girl to fawn over your ugly mug?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Peter flushed. “You’re one to talk, especially right after a girl turned you down. Couldn’t win her over, could you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snape scowled. “What do you want?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re upset, and rightfully so. You wanted Lily Evans, you offered her everything, but she still denied you. You’re bitter and you want to lash out at someone, but not her. You want to hit her where it hurts the most, but you know you can’t touch her father because you’d never beat him. You need to hurt someone weaker than you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Severus eyed him, his interest kindled. “I’m listening.”</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Lily was dreaming.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was storming, rain battering the windows, and she was in a familiar bed. Not in her cottage — the windows were larger, so she was in James’s mansion. And she wasn’t alone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A warm body curled around her backside and arms were wrapped around her waist, soothing and strong. She knew these arms.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mmm,” she moaned as lips brushed against her the sensitive skin of her neck and making her feel all tingly and warm. It felt so, so good, and — </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The lips stilled and parted in a grunt of pain. Alarmed, Lily tried to turn around, but his arms were restraining. She did glimpse a hooded figure, raising a gleaming knife over James’s back.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“No!” </span>
  </em>
  <span>she cried as the knife plunged in a streak of silver. She scrabbled desperately at the binding arms which were now more like manacles than an embrace, but it was futile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I love you,” he whispered, just mere moments before her eyelids flew open. Her chest was heaving as if she’d run down the street and back. The sheets were bunched up in her clenched fist. Sweat beaded on her forehead, which she brushed away with her unoccupied hand.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her father was sound asleep, snoring in the bed on the other side of the room. Not wanting to disturb his peaceful sleep, she slipped out of bed, put on a cloak and sandals, and stepped outside to watch the sunrise.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The breeze caressed her face and it carried away the remnants of Lily’s nightmare, but the thoughts of the other person in her dream lingered. She’d never felt that </span>
  <em>
    <span>afraid</span>
  </em>
  <span>, that raw fear since her mother’s death. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And the arms...those arms caging her...those arms she’d recognized. They’d held her, comforted her during another night, a </span>
  <em>
    <span>real </span>
  </em>
  <span>night. Arms she could never forget.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The person in her nightmare was undoubtedly — </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good morning, Lily,” a man’s voice crooned and Lily opened her mouth to scream. A hand swiftly covered her mouth and muffled her voice. Another arm came around her waist and held her fast as she struggled. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Quickly, tie her wrists and ankles,” her captor hissed and Lily stiffened — she knew that baritone, that raspy, grating voice. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Snape. That slimy, rotten bas — </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Another man (judging from his gait) walked around from the side of the house, brandishing a coil of rope. He didn’t speak, but clumsily and haltingly bound her wrists and then her ankles, rendering her unable to physically resist.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>My father, </span>
  </em>
  <span>she thought, </span>
  <em>
    <span>I need to warn Papa. </span>
  </em>
  <span>She bit at the hand over her mouth and there was a sharp noise of pain from Snape. “You bi —”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily tried to scream, but the other man was faster and clapped a hand over mouth again. “Don’t bother, mademoiselle,” said he. “I will not stop at anything to receive my payment.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Payment? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Then realization slapped her in the face. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Snape was bribing him, but for what?</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Knock her out,” the unidentified man continued. “She can’t do anything if she is unconscious.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily’s breath hitched. Snape wouldn’t hurt her, would he? Surely his feelings for her would overrule — </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A hard blow to the head made her see stars and the darkness crowd at the edge of her vision. A second blow and the black closed in her.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Snape gazed coldly at Lily, who was slumped in his arms. Such a shame it had to come to this, but he felt no remorse. This was Lily’s comeuppance — but she was not the one they were going to hurt. He wanted to stab her where it would cause the most damage, and he wanted to see her </span>
  <em>
    <span>suffer.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But for that, she needed to be alive, because Snape’s revenge awaited him in the mansion beyond the woods.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>James jolted awake with a terrible feeling in his chest and stomach. The feeling in his chest turned into hacking coughs; it felt as though fiery claws had seized his lungs and were squeezing them unrelentingly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He knew what this meant. He was dying. That wretched curse was gradually sucking the life out of him because his love didn’t love him back. He would have to learn to deal with the effects, which would increase in severity as death neared.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The claws released him so he was able to catch his breath. But the feeling in his stomach persisted, swirling and churning, uneasy and unsure. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Something was wrong.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The sun was rising, the sky painted pink, orange, and yellow, but he didn’t care. He scrambled out of bed and out of the bedroom. His chest was burning but he pushed on, fighting back the wave of fear threatening to overcome him. It hurt worse because he didn’t know </span>
  <em>
    <span>why.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He rounded the corner and collided with a servant, who squeaked and backed away a few steps upon seeing the state of him. “Sir, there’s someone at the door,” said the servant nervously. “It’s urgent.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He knew</span>
  <em>
    <span>, </span>
  </em>
  <span>he </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew </span>
  </em>
  <span>it was urgent. “Thank you,” he said anyway and the servant bowed stiffly. Then hesitation flit across his face. “I think it would...</span>
  <em>
    <span>assist </span>
  </em>
  <span>you if you had something to defend yourself with. Your visitors look very...</span>
  <em>
    <span>hostile.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>James managed a smile. “Thank you,” he repeated and hurried on his way, making a slight detour as per the servant’s advice. He slowed his pace as he entered the front room. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He chanced a peek out the window and saw two men...and a woman with red hair, limp in their arms. She was being supported by the taller of the two men.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>James swore his heart stopped in the very moment he saw Lily — she looked so </span>
  <em>
    <span>pale, </span>
  </em>
  <span>so lifeless, she couldn’t be — </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She </span>
  <em>
    <span>couldn’t </span>
  </em>
  <span>be</span>
  <em>
    <span>, </span>
  </em>
  <span>she was </span>
  <em>
    <span>Lily, </span>
  </em>
  <span>a bright, blazing </span>
  <em>
    <span>star — </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Only one way to find out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Attempting to ignore his burning chest, he took a deep breath and flung the doors open wide.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You took your precious time, James Potter,” said a nasal voice, belonging to the man who held Lily in his arms. “My name is Severus Snape. You have stolen my bride. Prepare to die.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>James’s heart slammed into his ribcage. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Bride?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Severus felt nothing but derision as he looked at the man Lily had chosen to love. He looked like a ruffian, with his unkempt hair and rumpled clothes. His chest was heaving and he looked wild, untamed. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Deranged, </span>
  </em>
  <span>almost.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But his next words were quiet and full of authority. “What did you do to her, Snape?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What does it look like? I knocked her unconscious and dragged her filthy body to your door.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Potter’s composure cracked a little at the word </span>
  <em>
    <span>filthy. </span>
  </em>
  <span>His tone shifted. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Why?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Because I want to make a deal with you, Potter,” Severus said confidently, enjoying the way his enemy’s face blanched — he already looked sickly and a pale pallor was not sightly. Beating him in a fight would be easy. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’ll make a deal,” he repeated. “I want you to stay out of Lily’s life. I want you to shut her out and never speak to her again. She’ll be hurt and confused, and in the process, she’ll fall out of love with you. She’ll need a shoulder to cry on, so she’ll turn to me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Potter shook his head, looking baffled. “But she doesn’t love me,” he said, sounding mystified. “I would’ve known. But regardless, do you think she’ll fall for you after everything you did? You </span>
  <em>
    <span>harassed </span>
  </em>
  <span>her, you showered her with unwanted affections, and even after she refused you, you kidnapped her and dragged her here without her consent. What about that screams </span>
  <em>
    <span>love </span>
  </em>
  <span>to you, Snape?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>...Now Severus wanted to deck the smug idiot. He didn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>understand. </span>
  </em>
  <span>He lived up here in his mansion, isolated from the rest of the world. He didn’t have parents. He could not know what love was.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What do you know about love, Potter?” he said scornfully. “Let me enlighten you. Love is about </span>
  <em>
    <span>sacrifice. </span>
  </em>
  <span>I’d do anything for Lily — even if I have to force you out of her life. I’ll do </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything </span>
  </em>
  <span>for her to make her love me and I’ll keep trying.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, no,” Potter said, “you’re wrong. Well, not about sacrifice, but the way you’re going about it is not right. You’re forcing her to change, you’re forcing her to sacrifice without letting her have a say.” His eyes darted to Lily’s form. “Lily is a strong, independent woman. She does not need you to make decisions for her — </span>
  <em>
    <span>she’ll </span>
  </em>
  <span>choose whether or not she wants to be with you. If you know her as well as you supposedly do, you’ll know she’s not going to let you force her hand.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Severus sneered, somewhere deep in his mind Potter’s words made sense. But after everything he’d done for her, after everything that had happened, he couldn’t just back down and admit that Potter was right. He’d come here for a fight, and he wasn’t going to let Potter win without one.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fine,” Severus bit out. “I suppose I’ll have to </span>
  <em>
    <span>guide </span>
  </em>
  <span>you both in the right direction since you seem incapable of figuring that out for yourselves.” Still keeping an arm around Lily’s waist, he unsheathed his sword and pressed the edge of the blade into Lily’s neck, not hard enough to draw blood, but enough to get a rise out of Potter.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It worked — Potter’s eyes flashed behind his spectacles and his hands clenched into fists. Severus smirked. “Still don’t want to make a deal? Just test me and I’ll show you the price you’ll have to pay.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In his peripheral, he saw Pettigrew mouth something, but he ignored it. Potter glared at Severus with such animosity it was a miracle that a fire didn’t ignite under his feet.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Let her go,” Severus’s enemy ordered furiously.  “I thought you loved her!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I do,” Severus agreed calmly, “but I can’t let you have her. I’d rather she die than be with you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Are you out of your mind?” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Potter exploded; his face reddened with anger. “This is — this is not a </span>
  <em>
    <span>game. </span>
  </em>
  <span>You’re gambling with Lily’s life! What the hell are you — “</span>
</p><p> </p><p><span>Severus finally had had enough with Pettigrew’s incessant gestures. </span><em><span>“What is it?</span></em><span>”</span> <span>he snapped.</span></p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>She’s waking up!” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Pettigrew hissed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wha — “</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>While unconscious, Lily had floated through space — just an empty black void. Then the most curious thing had occurred - two doors had appeared, one red, with a gold </span>
  <em>
    <span>1 </span>
  </em>
  <span>emblazoned on the front. The other door had been the same, except it had a </span>
  <em>
    <span>2 </span>
  </em>
  <span>on the front.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily rapidly became excited; she’d seen this happen in many books - the protagonist having to make a choice. She examined both doors, and after deeming them the same, she went to the first door and pushed it open.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Warm sunshine greeted her and the fragrant aroma of flowers wafted past. She was standing in a meadow, a vast meadow, and she gasped as she saw the person standing a few meters away. Wordlessly, they crossed the field and Lily fell in their arms.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I thought I’d never see you again,” dream-James murmured. “I was bleeding, I was </span>
  <em>
    <span>dying — then that man came and — </span>
  </em>
  <span>you disappeared — “</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m here,” Lily whispered, gazing up at him with a warm feeling blossoming in her stomach. “I’m here and I’ll never leave you. I’m yours.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>James smiled sadly. “But you are not truly mine,” he reminded her. “You don’t love me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily looked away, torn. It was true that James made her feel like no other man could, but did she love him?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I — I don’t know,” she said. “I need time. I don’t know if I love you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Time,” James echoed. “Something you have little of. As we speak, your James expires. He is weak and steadily weakening, and the confrontation isn’t helping.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily jerked back, alarmed, and befuddled. “Confrontation?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’ll see,” was the vague reply. “But Lily Evans, you must first explore the world beyond the other door before you can return to the mortal world.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t have — “</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“— time? For this, you do. Your James is resisting. As long as your heart beats in your chest, he will fight. If you try to leave this world now, you will die and so will your James. What will you do?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She didn’t have a choice — James </span>
  <em>
    <span>had </span>
  </em>
  <span>to survive. “I will enter the other world,” she said obediently and dream-James smiled, relieved. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Excellent,” he said. “Off you go. But be careful — there may be dangers lying in wait. Use your wits and be alert.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With a swift nod, Lily (reluctantly) removed herself from the arms of dream-James, and as soon as she did, a gust of wind dispelled the illusion and James vanished. She stood alone in the meadow alone, but James’s voice grazed her ears. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I love you and I’ll be here, waiting for you.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She almost burst into tears, but she forced them back and ventured back into the void. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Now she approached the second door with more caution, testing the knob before she opened it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The moment her foot crossed the threshold, she was buffeted by a tremendous gust of wind. It was all she could do to remain standing. A few meters away stood a familiar man with greasy black hair and sallow skin. Lily’s lips curled and she immediately swung around to return to the void, but Snape’s next words stopped her in her tracks. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Running away, Lily? Typical. You always run away. You ran from your mother when she was ill. You ran from your father because the life he gave you wasn’t enough to replace your mother.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>(Memories of running barefoot down a cobblestone, tears streaming down her face.) </span>
  </em>
  <span>“You ran from me when I offered you everything a girl could ever want.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>(I’m not just any girl.) </span>
  </em>
  <span>“Now you’re running from James, of how you feel for him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Stop,” Lily said weakly; the mention of her mother had nearly undone her. “Don’t.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snape laughed and Lily shrank; this was a </span>
  <em>
    <span>different </span>
  </em>
  <span>Snape, and he had a presence that made her cower. “You’re the coward, Lily Evans. Stand and face me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With difficulty, she took a step forward. And another. Snape just stood there and watched as she approached him and —</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Snape staggered as Lily stirred to life and her tied wrists shot up. In one clean movement, she sliced through the ropes with the blade pressed against her throat.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>He’s in trouble, </span>
  </em>
  <span>James thought, as Lily, with her hands free, wrestled her way out of Snape’s hold. Snape was caught off guard and his movements were sloppy. He stumbled back and landed on his arse. James stifled a laugh.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily cut the ropes binding her feet with Snape’s sword and ran up the path, but the other man blocked her. But he was no match for her; she felled him with a kick to the groin and up the steps — </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Oomph!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” James caught her as she tripped on the final steps, and he didn’t let go.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you okay?” she asked, reaching up to touch his cheek. Something like affection — no, something stronger — shimmered in her eyes, and her expression was concerned. “The curse must be affecting you, you must hurting.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s not too bad,” he said offhandedly, but he contradicted himself a second later when a sharp pain twisted his gut. He let out a groan and sank, clutching his stomach. Lily’s face crumpled and it was her turn to catch him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What — what’s happening?” she asked frantically, her terror resonating in her voice. “I thought you said the curse was meant to progress slowly —”  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was a liar. He was a liar and he was paying the price.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I lied,” he muttered as agonizing waves of knives drove into his chest, into his stomach and it was climbing to his heart. He was going to die. “It happens in the span of a day — I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to worry you. I didn’t mean to drag you into this mess.” Each word was forced out between pangs of pain. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re an idiot,” Lily told him, emotion strangling her voice. “I can’t let you die on me — not when I lo —”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How touching.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily whirled around, allowing him a glimpse of the voice’s owner. Snape stood, lips pulled back in a triumphant grin as his sword descended — </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Time slowed. James reached for the dagger on his belt, raising it, and blocked the sword. He was able to successfully parry the sword and with one twist, the sword clattered out of Snape’s hand.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Quicker than lightning, Lily snatched up the sword and pointed it at Snape, who seemed to realize that he was at her mercy — she could kill him if she desired, but Lily hesitated. She wasn’t that cruel — while the slimy git deserved to die, in James’s opinion, Lily wasn’t a killer. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After a moment, she turned and threw the sword behind James so Snape couldn’t retrieve it. Then she punched him in the face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That feels good,” she said, but her voice was tight. “That’s for everything you’ve done to me, my father, and James. Now run far, far from here like the coward you are.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Snape, thoroughly cowed, turned and fled, his companion following at his heels. They disappeared into the woods.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Now alone and without enemies trying to kill them, the two of them stared at each other. Lily’s face was distraught and she looked like she was going to burst into tears. “James —”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t,” he said quietly, easing himself so he was lying down. Blocking the sword had sapped his strength; he could feel Death’s presence, a mere few minutes away.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily’s walls collapsed and tears cascaded down her face — </span>
  <em>
    <span>hell, </span>
  </em>
  <span>she was beautiful even when she was crying. She was </span>
  <em>
    <span>crying </span>
  </em>
  <span>for him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Lily, I love you,” he said, putting every ounce of love he felt for her into those four words. “I didn’t believe in magic until I met you. I’ve been captivated by you since the day we first met and recently —”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t. Don’t speak. Save your strength.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s no use,” he said. “I’ll die in a few minutes anyway. I might as well get all of this off of my chest, and then at least I can die peacefully.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“J-James —”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My parents died when I was young,” he interrupted. “I grew up unloved and incapable of loving — until one day, this pretty girl and her father stumbled into my home and accidentally into my heart. But I didn’t think I would fall for you so hard or so quickly — I just thought I would muck it up and you’d leave and I’d never see you again. But you came back, you kept coming back, and that was it for me. I started falling in love with you. And I don’t know how you feel, if you feel anything for me, but I just needed to tell you that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His head fell back; his body burned like mad, but he felt almost weightless — his secret had been burdening him for too long, and now that someone knew, they would keep his memory alive. His bloodline would die with him, and along with it, the curse.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“James,” Lily said; her voice sounded far away. “James, I need to tell you something.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Stay awake, </span>
  </em>
  <span>his conscious urged, but he was falling, falling — </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And then Lily appeared in front of him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I love you too,” he heard her say, but he was too busy trying to fight off Death’s arms — </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His vision cleared. The pains ebbed and died and he felt...</span>
  <em>
    <span>normal. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Like he’d been yesterday, except Lily was crouching over him, her face streaked with tears, and her red hair stuck to her wet cheeks. He saw her eyes widen as he sat up and brushed away a lock of hair from her face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Lily…” he murmured. Both of them were too caught up in the moment to celebrate James’s recovery.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re okay,” she breathed. “I can’t believe it — you were just dying and I watched the life fade from your eyes —”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not dying anymore,” he said needlessly. “And I don’t plan to for a while yet. I don’t plan on leaving you for a long, long time.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily smiled. “I love you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was the most beautiful sentence he’d heard in his life and it came from her lips, for him. Those words confirmed what he’d hoped for all along, that she would be his forever.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>No Snape, no secrets, no nothing obscuring the path between them. It was just him, Lily, and forever.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Forever.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <em>
    <span>later</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“C’mon, it’s not that dangerous,” he wheedled, pulling Lily by the hand. “I’ve been up there loads of times — trust me, it’s not that dangerous.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But </span>
  <em>
    <span>James, </span>
  </em>
  <span>you just escaped death, you shouldn’t be overextending yourself like this,” she scolded, but she was letting him drag her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I told you, I’m good as new,” he said. “Now come, you’re going to love this.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily released an exasperated sigh and stopped protesting.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He tugged her into the rose room, chancing a glance at the rose, but it was gone. It had simply vanished, along with the curse, and he was glad to be rid of it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He pushed open the clear window and guided her out, telling her where to step and where to hold. There was a lot of complaining and an almost fall, but she safely made it to the top. James followed in seconds; he’d been doing this since he was a child.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily stood uncertainly on the roof, gazing at James quizzically. “Now what?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sit.” He gestured to the roof and she obliged, lowering herself warily to the ground. “And?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Watch.” He sat down next to her, tentatively brushing shoulders with her, but she didn’t recoil — if anything, she pressed closer. “The sun is about to set. You’re about to witness something truly magical.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“James, I’ve seen sunsets before,” she said, giggling. “I’ve read about them so many times —”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“— but they never lose their wonder,” he finished, smirking. “Trust me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily nodded, but James was sure that she was doing it to appease him. But she was about to be proved wrong. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Very </span>
  </em>
  <span>wrong.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They sat there for a while, but it was worth it as the sun dipped below the horizon and the sky was painted a myriad of reds, oranges, and pinks. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was beautiful, but James’s favorite moment was when Lily admitted that he was right. And then she kissed him, which was even better.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And James thought that no sunset had ever been more beautiful than it was now, especially since he had someone to share it with.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Crossposted on fanfiction.net under the same name (arcane illusions).</p></blockquote></div></div>
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